In attendance: Alan Duncan (ILRI), Beth Cullen (ILRI), Ewen Le Borgne (ILRI), Simon Langan (IWMI), Randall Ritzema (IWMI), Doug Merrey (via Skype)




Discussion minutes:
Perhaps we could invite our Ethiopian partners to come up with some of the key messages that have been shared? Who are our partners and who would we consult? Bahir Dar University, ARARI, OARI, Wolega University, Ambo - and perhaps later IP partners, (Basin Authorities?), students from Teklu/Kindie etc.?

Reviewing key messages:
  • First message yes but has it summarized in a digestible way? Yes.
  • Third message is being contested and will be revised by ??. This could be put together with the 'new RWM paradigm' rather than introducing individual tools, it would form a compelling action research program. There are overlaps between the messages.
  • Fourth message: there is better evidence than econometric models. It will be interesting to link this up with a broader RWM framework to see how this fits in. ACTION: Alan to talk to Kebebe about this.
  • The seventh message begs the question of how Ethiopians themselves would do these IP processes.
  • The eigth message is also about shaping the strategy on these issues. We need to focus on knowledge sharing tools for DAs to have more control over. ACTION: Simon (or Alan?), Aberra etc. to review this and formulate recommendations on this. This message should also reflect upon incentives for DAs.
  • 9th message is linked to 8th one on DAs
  • 10th message is about NP - Do we need such a mechanism? How do we deal with sustainability issues? Is it performing against current objectives? At national level there is an SLM platform of sorts that we should link up with (and Belay is trying to secure a CG type seat). The local IP work should also link directly to SLM so that the SLM committee decides how that is rolled out.
  • 11th message: this links up with ODI's message on IPs (#7) and with Doug's 3rd message. This links to participatory approaches and the limited ability to do this ACTION: Alan to ask Josie to review this and synthesize it.
  • 12th message: linked with Doug's message #3. Avoid blueprint approaches to scaling up.
  • 13th message: We might have to develop synthesized ways to roll out recommendations. ACTION: Alan to link this up with ??.
  • 14th message: Some modeling could be done at site level but need some basic inputs (in the next 2 months) first. ACTION: Alan/Simon and Randall to develop ??.
  • 15th message: We can work on this at various levels across CRPs etc. This needs to be linked with regional partners. We need to validate some of that work once it's been synthesized. This is also about capacity.
  • 16th message (Gebre): to include - complementing other messages.
  • ACTION: Beth and Zelalem to see if they can realistically contact (phone) partners to collect their stories. If not, this will be done during the partners' meeting.
  • ACTION: Alan to synthesize messages Doug/ODI.
  • Two themes seem to be coming through: identifying solutions and enabling solutions - and this tilts a lot on the enabling side. There is more information on the other side that could probably be pulled out.
  • ACTION: Simon to ask Fergus, Lisa, An, Catherine, Charlotte to share key messages.

What we miss here: gender, capacity development (we've done formal CD with students, catchment coordinators, basin authorities etc., but what beyond formal training).
What now? We need to distill these messages and decide what to do with them. At the NP platform we also need to have the evidence lined up for those messages.

We need to bring together the new RWM paradigm as one overarching theme for the National Platform meeting and to link up with wider, longer term priorities e.g. SLM program.
ACTION: All people whose name is mentioned in the list of key messages should prepare something about their key message.